Seems like I got a bit confused. Anyway, a bolas upgrade might be helpful in IftU too. (This should be useful for levels where there's a recruitment limit, allowing you to slow bosses without exposing healers, as galas can handle retaliation better)

Overall AtS spoilers, do NOT open if you have not completed AtS before. I’m being serious here:

Elynia may not have regeneration or teleport AMLAs for the following reasons:

Elynia’s AMLA tree in AtS will be built upon her IftU AMLAs, even if she is required to start over because of the whole un-Union thing at the end of IftU.

The player is only supposed to have access to one teleporting unit at a time for balancing reasons. (I don’t want to allow Mal Keshar to be the first teleportation unit since that would a) make Anya’s actual gameplay role too evident; and b) make him too powerful.)

For story reasons, Elynia is supposed to be unable to teleport before learning the spell in the interim between AtS E1S7 and E1S8, and even then, once she can teleport she’s extremely incompetent at it to the point that she endangers people’s lives (Mal Keshar between E1S9.3 and E1S10), isn’t always able to properly control her teleport path’s timeline (herself between E1S12 and E2S1), or find a safe target location while in a hurry (again herself in E2S12). This actually ties in with her nature as a Guardian of Earth — she has to overcome these limitations eventually, but she definitely cannot within the timeframe preceding the start of EOL.

For story reasons, she can’t have proper regeneration either, since that’s supposed to be an ability restricted to beings of an outright otherworldly constitution such as trolls and some races of demons (Anya being half-demon herself and her regeneration ability turning out to be a red flag for Elynia in E2S4) unless using potions or artifacts that imbue them with healing magic. She does have her faerie essence/spark ability already, which enables her to heal more than the resting amount when in forested terrains, and I want it to become the focus of an AMLA branch of hers in AtS. Or potentially not. It might be too obvious of a foreshadowing ploy.

I'd suggest changing the XP requirement to a flat 20% (would be similar to UtBS) every time you advance or at least lower the percentages. I believe that's multiplicative anyway. A 50% increase means you're probably not going to bother trying to level the unit again, just to get an AMLA.

This is a good observation (much like everything else in your post). I am actually playing around with the numbers in AtS since I realized in my last IftU playthrough that I didn’t manage to complete Elynia’s AMLA tree despite my best efforts and ended up with her requiring about 1000 XP to level up again. Somehow I seemed to remember this going much better when working on IftU 2.0.1.

As for Galas and Mal Keshar, I do intend to make Galas into a unit type that levels up using AMLAs, much like Kaleh in UtBS. I didn’t give him much priority initially for two reasons:

Doing so would make IftU seem even more of a UtBS copycat than it already is.

It would require new art for Galas

However, going forward it’s evident that without AMLAs he’s sticking out like a sore thumb amidst a cast of characters who are generally more competent than him unless you give him certain special items. Plus, AMLAs would actually provide an opportunity to remove one of said items — I’m thinking of the Ring of Swiftness from IftU S2 — as well as the blink-and-you-miss-it upgrade he gets at the very start of scenario 9 that reduces his movement cost in caves, which would work better as some kind of “spelunker” AMLA (EDIT: I just realized you already mentioned the exact same thing, oops).

Mal Keshar is a more difficult case.

He does deserve new art and I should be perfectly able to draw him a new baseframe and transplant the Ancient Lich animations. The problem is that I don’t want the player to focus on Mal Keshar at the expense of everyone else, and I don’t want him to seem weak and undeserving of his title either. A point could be made that Anlindë’s curse might force him to work harder to overcome some of the limitations it imposes over his magic.

Seems like I got a bit confused. Anyway, a bolas upgrade might be helpful in IftU too. (This should be useful for levels where there's a recruitment limit, allowing you to slow bosses without exposing healers, as galas can handle retaliation better)

This is actually the reason the Glacial Gladius in S21 came to be. Except that it’s easy to miss its existence if you don’t go specifically out of your way to poke holes in the map, and even then the exact method to obtain it for the right unit is somewhat contrived.

shadowm wrote:Doing so would make IftU seem even more of a UtBS copycat than it already is.

It *is* an explicit continuation. In any event the Shaxthals and Aragwaithi and all the theological cosmogony never were part of UtBS (is there anything new in the version that came with 1.14?) so it doesn't feel like a ripoff.

And the only comment I can make on the Glacial Gladius is ‘Hell yes!’, btw.

shadowm wrote:Doing so would make IftU seem even more of a UtBS copycat than it already is.

It *is* an explicit continuation. In any event the Shaxthals and Aragwaithi and all the theological cosmogony never were part of UtBS (is there anything new in the version that came with 1.14?) so it doesn't feel like a ripoff.

Well, to wit:

IftU and UtBS spoilers:

Kalehssar and Galas are both young fighter prodigies with Missing Parents™.

Both Kaleh and Galas have a perky sidekick (Nym and Mal Keshar, respectively, yes I know that’s stretching it out a little bit in Malin’s case).

Both the Quenoth elves and the elves of the Valley of Elynia are forced to abandon their homes due to a tragic event. In the original draft for Armageddon scenario 1 (which was a cutscene akin to the ones you get at the start of AtS E2 and E3) there was even a meteor shower involved, and then Shaxthals would invade the valley.

A long walk through the desert (UtBS S2/IftU S4) involving the dehydration mechanic is included, and then (optionally in IftU’s case) followed by a battle scenario where the player’s forces find themselves caught in the crossfire between two or more quarreling parties (UtBS S3/IftU S5a).

After said battle scenario, the player goes underground for an extended period of time (UtBS S4/IftU S7).

The player encounters a neutral faction in trouble underground and gains their friendship in exchange for invaluable help/knowledge that eventually gets them back to the surface. In IftU’s timeline, Kaleh’s choice was to side with the dwarves. What would’ve happened in this canon (as opposed to The Sojournings of Grog’s canon) if his choice had been a different one is left to the player’s imagination, but odds are pretty good that Mal Keshar and the elves would’ve never found Elynia, and she would’ve been killed by Elyssa. The full ramifications of this are interesting to say the least.

Zhangor makes a guest appearance as a major plot point in an extended exposition dispensed by an old (Melussand)/unfathomably old (Elynia) mystic figure.

Anlindë and Garak (or even Zhul, if you are not careful with her during the fight against Yechnagoth) both die before the end of the campaign and serve as mentors to the protagonist. The only difference is that Garak dies at the end of Act 1 whereas Anlindë dies at the end of Act 2.

The big bad in both campaigns (Yechnagoth and Argan) is not from Irdya, although this is not properly explained in any of the three campaigns (and in UtBS’ case it’s strictly fanon that I came up with).

More generally, I can say with absolutely certainty that my younger self was deliberately reusing parts of UtBS’ formula in an attempt to emulate it, without having a proper understanding of why UtBS worked. Not that I would tell her to do otherwise if I could go back in time, though.

shadowm wrote:More generally, I can say with absolutely certainty that my younger self was deliberately reusing parts of UtBS’ formula in an attempt to emulate it,

This is what is called a loving homage.
Spoilered discussion:

Spoiler:

Kalehssar and Galas are both young fighter prodigies with Missing Parents™.>> Standard (see Son Goku for one, also with old mentors galore)
Both Kaleh and Galas have a perky sidekick (Nym and Mal Keshar, respectively, yes I know that’s stretching it out a little bit in Malin’s case).>> Also standardBoth the Quenoth elves and the elves of the Valley of Elynia are forced to abandon their homes due to a tragic event. In the original draft for Armageddon scenario 1 (which was a cutscene akin to the ones you get at the start of AtS E2 and E3) there was even a meteor shower involved, and then Shaxthals would invade the valley.>> The hometown is doomed and its destruction is the catalyst that forces the fledgling herointo the world.A long walk through the desert (UtBS S2/IftU S4) involving the dehydration mechanic is included, and then (optionally in IftU’s case) followed by a battle scenario where the player’s forces find themselves caught in the crossfire between two or more quarreling parties (UtBS S3/IftU S5a).>>The dehydration mechanic is one of my favourites. After said battle scenario, the player goes underground for an extended period of time (UtBS S4/IftU S7).>>Moria is the best part of LotR, arguably.
The player encounters a neutral faction in trouble underground and gains their friendship in exchange for invaluable help/knowledge that eventually gets them back to the surface. In IftU’s timeline, Kaleh’s choice was to side with the dwarves. What would’ve happened in this canon (as opposed to The Sojournings of Grog’s canon) if his choice had been a different one is left to the player’s imagination, but odds are pretty good that Mal Keshar and the elves would’ve never found Elynia, and she would’ve been killed by Elyssa. The full ramifications of this are interesting to say the least.Zhangor makes a guest appearance as a major plot point in an extended exposition dispensed by an old (Melussand)/unfathomably old (Elynia) mystic figure.
Anlindë and Garak (or even Zhul, if you are not careful with her during the fight against Yechnagoth) both die before the end of the campaign and serve as mentors to the protagonist. The only difference is that Garak dies at the end of Act 1 whereas Anlindë dies at the end of Act 2.>> Mentors are always doomed.The big bad in both campaigns (Yechnagoth and Argan) is not from Irdya, although this is not properly explained in any of the three campaigns (and in UtBS’ case it’s strictly fanon that I came up with).>>Yechnagoth is said not to be from Irdya IIRC. But if it's a continuation within the same canon it's to be expected that Yechnagoth's equals are also aliens.

Which proves that UtBS is a quite generic and clichéd campaign. Which, honestly, makes me love it.
And the same, so far, applies to IftU/AtS.

Also

Spoiler:

When commenting on Elyssa's appearance on TSoG a few months ago I said that the upgrades I gave her made her into a Terminator. And then I jumped straight into playing this game where she is very much a Terminator (even with red eyes) -but I'll discuss the rest once I've fought the last battle or two in AtS 3 to finally decide on the story.

"Overall AtS spoilers, do NOT open if you have not completed AtS before. I’m being serious here"

Ahh, yes of course, I didn't think about the implications that would have on AtS.
Also I didn't make it very clear, but the suggestions at the end of my last post were not specifically meant for Elynia. I was just throwing general ideas around.

I don't actually think people will "focus" on one character, at least if all the unique units are different enough and all have strenghts that others don't. Malin's strengths are that he's fairly tanky, with his mostly good resistances against physical attacks, high HP & drain attack and damage out the a**. He dies pretty easily to Chaos Invokers though and is pretty slow. I'd say making him slightly weaker at the start is completely fair, since right now he can solo the first two parts of S4, which is kind of ridiculous even for a super powerful unit like him. And if the player feeds him enough XP he's rewarded with a damage dealing powerhouse, that annihilates everyone in direct combat, but can't do anything else. The most important aspect of a high damage unit is complete incompetence with almost everything else/lack of any other abilities I'd say and at least some weakness in their defense (which he already has).
In turn of course, you could make the others even better at what they do, like having Elynia heal more than +8 (10-16?), healing right now is really slow when everyone has near 100 HP, making her even faster than she already is or giving her even more different damage types (no one has fire yet and it would be amazing vs Shaxtal).
As for Galas, going of his traits (resilient+quick) either having him become a high HP, high resistance frontliner (lvl 4 leadership, steadfast/dauntless, first strike, etc.?) or an agile Assassin like unit (poison?, backstab, skirmisher, slow, lower movement cost/more MP, etc.) with high defenses or maybe both would fit him. Since HP, resistance and defense all multiply though, that might be a little much.
I actually like the idea of items as a reward for exploring, as long as you can still enjoy the campaign without them. Right now the MP ring kind of screams "Galas is slow so take this!". They also help make units feels special and unique, like this guy:
So, once everyone has AMLAs, maybe reserve them for non-hero units?

Slight spoiler on a hidden item:

Why is the void armor so hard to find though? During a boss fight, in some random flooded tunnel away from the fight, without any indication or hint, and the scenario ends once you kill the boss. Is it just for people who read through the cfg and randomly stumbled on it? Cause that's the only way I see anyone finding it.

Congratulations on the successful port of IftU to 1.14. A Battle For Wesnoth game does not feel complete without IftU or AtS. Now i can finally have IftU in my new 1.14 version. Best of luck on porting AtS too.

I'd also like to mention that cliches are cliches because they work. Just because something is somewhat generic doesn't mean it can't be of magnificent quality. No one can be 100% original in the 21st century.

P.S i always enjoy reading your "profound" posts in the forums

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
Playing Wesnoth since 2010, still there is so much left to play

This time I didn't forget traits. Also I assume dexterous works retroactively and buffs thorns by 1 dmg or is that already factored in?

Assuming you need Shielding I to take Shielding II and so on, having the "final" and hardest to reach AMLA be only +10% cold resistance seems kind of disappointing to me. There isn't that much cold damage compared to other dmg types (at least on the enemies side) and by the point you get it, it saves you maybe 1-3 HP if she attacks a high level demon/lich and about 2-4 HP retaliation in 23B, assuming you slow appropriately. Most Verlissh don't really do enough dmg for 10% to matter. I'd honestly expect something a bit more epic